Ali Akbar RosadyThe highly anticipated mega-fight between former two-division UFC champion Amanda Nunes and reigning bantamweight queen Kayla Harrison, slated for 2026, has already begun to generate significant strategic maneuvering. In a move that has sent ripples through the mixed martial arts world, Nunes has invited Larissa Pacheco – the only woman to ever defeat Harrison in professional MMA – to join her training camp. This alliance is expected to provide "The Lioness" with invaluable, first-hand intelligence as she prepares for her return from retirement to face a formidable opponent.
The UFC has yet to officially announce a date for this championship collision, but according to Pacheco, Nunes is operating with a sense of urgency and readiness. "What I can say is that if the UFC wants to book this fight next week or next month for Amanda, she’s ready," Pacheco informed MMA Fighting. "She’s ready. In terms of adjustments, everything, there’s nothing more to say." Pacheco, a former Professional Fighters League (PFL) champion, remained tight-lipped about specific strategies but conveyed immense confidence in Nunes’s preparedness. "I’m not going to talk strategy because I can’t, but she’s ready, man. What I’ve felt from her… I can say this: I’ve felt Kayla’s energy before, and now I’ve felt Amanda’s. She’s ready. That fight is hers, without a doubt. She’s walking out with the win."
Pacheco’s presence in Nunes’s corner is particularly significant given her extensive history with Kayla Harrison. The two women met inside the PFL cage on three separate occasions, forging one of the most compelling rivalries in women’s MMA. Their initial encounters took place in 2019, where Harrison, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, showcased her dominant grappling prowess. Harrison secured victories in both bouts via unanimous decision, culminating in her being crowned PFL champion and maintaining a pristine 7-0 professional record at the time. These early fights underscored Harrison’s seemingly insurmountable wrestling and ground control, often stifling opponents with her relentless pressure and submission threats.
However, the narrative shifted dramatically when Pacheco and Harrison met for a third time in November 2022. In a stunning upset that reverberated across the MMA landscape, Pacheco delivered Harrison her first professional loss, clinching a unanimous decision victory and capturing the PFL lightweight championship belt. This decisive win, achieved through strategic striking and resilient takedown defense, provided Pacheco with a unique understanding of Harrison’s strengths, weaknesses, and in-cage demeanor under immense pressure. Her ability to decode Harrison’s formidable style and implement a winning game plan is precisely the expertise Nunes is now seeking to leverage.
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The upcoming mega-fight also carries a layer of personal history. Nunes and Harrison have a past connection, having trained together occasionally at the renowned American Top Team (ATT) facility in Florida. While gym sessions offer valuable insights, Pacheco emphasizes the distinct difference between sparring and actual competition. "I’ve felt Kayla inside the cage," Pacheco stated, drawing a crucial distinction. "Amanda has trained with Kayla at the gym, but I’ve been in that place where the pressure is highest, which is inside the octagon. So… man, it’s going to be insane. It’s going to be incredible." This direct competitive experience against Harrison, especially in a high-stakes championship bout, is expected to provide Nunes with an unparalleled tactical advantage.
Amanda Nunes, widely regarded as the greatest female mixed martial artist of all time, announced her retirement from the sport in June 2023. She exited the octagon as a reigning two-division UFC queen, holding both the bantamweight and featherweight titles, following a dominant unanimous decision victory over Irene Aldana at UFC 289. Nunes’s career is marked by an impressive list of defeated champions and legends, including Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, Miesha Tate, Valentina Shevchenko, and Holly Holm, cementing her legacy as "The Lioness" who cleared out multiple divisions. Her decision to step away came at a point when many believed she had no true challenges left.
Kayla Harrison, on the other hand, embarked on her UFC journey nearly a year after Nunes’s retirement. The article states that Harrison made a significant impact upon her promotional debut, accumulating a 3-0 record against high-caliber opponents Holly Holm, Ketlen Vieira, and Julianna Peña. This remarkable run, which reportedly culminated in a bantamweight title-winning submission at UFC 316, positioned her as the new champion and the undeniable challenger to Nunes’s vacated throne. Harrison’s rapid ascent and her declared ambition to become a UFC champion and face Nunes have set the stage for one of the most anticipated comebacks and matchups in the sport’s history.
Pacheco believes that Nunes’s return is fueled by a renewed sense of purpose, ignited by Harrison’s rise. "She never really lost that throne. Her hunger is to win," Pacheco remarked about Nunes. "She didn’t have a real challenge left, one that matched her level. She beat everyone. When she retired, it was at a time when she didn’t have a true challenge anymore. It felt like, ‘I’m doing this just for the money.’ At least that’s how I see it; it’s not something she told me directly."
The narrative surrounding Nunes’s motivation is now intertwined with Harrison’s personal ambition. Harrison has consistently expressed her desire to test herself against Nunes, articulating in numerous interviews her aspirations to reach the UFC summit and confront the legendary champion. "But since there’s something personal between them, it adds a different flavor, right? And now Kayla is the champion of the promotion. She said in several interviews that she wanted to be UFC champion, that she wanted to fight Amanda, that she wanted to get there, and now she’s there. Didn’t she want this to happen so badly? Didn’t she ask for it so much? This is the moment," Pacheco elaborated.
This confluence of factors—Nunes’s unmatched legacy, Harrison’s meteoric rise, and the added dimension of a personal rivalry—creates an irresistible narrative for fans and pundits alike. Pacheco firmly asserts that the timing for Nunes’s return could not be more perfect. "I don’t think there’s a better time for Amanda to come back than now, than this," she continued. "And to do it in this way, showing not only who she is – that she doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone – but doing it against someone who truly is a challenge worthy of her."
The impending clash between Amanda Nunes and Kayla Harrison, with Larissa Pacheco strategically embedded in Nunes’s camp, represents a monumental moment for women’s mixed martial arts. It pits a returning legend against a dominant, ascendant force, with an unprecedented layer of tactical insight provided by the only fighter to ever solve the Harrison puzzle. As the fight draws closer, the intricate dynamics of this training alliance will undoubtedly be a focal point, shaping the narrative of what promises to be an historic encounter in 2026.
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